


The Past Still Hurts

by celizamur



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Riley PTSD, S03E16, Talking about Desi, Worried Mac
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 09:42:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17896118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celizamur/pseuds/celizamur
Summary: Missing scene from season 3 episode 15Mac collects Riley from jail-Mac answered the phone at five in the morning expecting a couple of different scenarios. The number one being, Bozer went to Leanne's and forgot his key.What Mac hadn't been expecting was; the mission to collect Riley from prison.





	The Past Still Hurts

**Author's Note:**

> This has been a one shot I needed to write as soon as I saw Mac and Riley enter Bozer's lab at the same time.
> 
> It's short, but I hope you all enjoy. Leave a kudos and a comment, let me know what you think!
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing

 

 

> "The past is never where you think you left it."

 

* * *

 

 

The incessant buzz from his nightstand, rudely interrupted Mac’s deep sleep. Groggily, he dragged himself up and dropped a heavy hand on his phone. Not bothering to look at the name, he simply stared at the blinking alarm clock.

Two hours before he had to be up for work.

Mac hoped whoever it was had a good reason for the call, he was exhausted from helping Bozer assemble furniture for his new apartment.

“Mac, are you up?” Matty greeted him, listening to the shuffling on the other end of the phone.

“Yes Ma'am,” Mac roughly answered, his voice low and gruff as a result of the early hour. Mac answered the phone at five in the morning expecting a lot of different scenarios. The number one being, Bozer went to Leanne's and forgot his key.

“I need you to collect someone from county jail,”

“What? Who?”

Matty took a deep breath, her fury of the situation settling in, “it’s Riley.”

Mac was in his car within minutes.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Mac didn’t realize his fast-paced walk had transformed into a sprint until one of the guard held up his hand in a halt motion.

“Where’s the fire son?” the man joked, the casual smile on his face contrasting greatly with the bleak walks of the prison. He reminded Mac of a neighbor his grandfather had; always jolly no matter what the situation. When Mac’s grandfather passed, the man had greeted Mac with a smile, a pat on the back and a ‘howdy champ’.

But Mac didn’t dwell on the resemblance, simply trying to regulate his breathing ever since his phone call with Matty.

“I’m here to collect Riley Davis,” Mac told him, getting straight to the point. The man nodded, his double chin wobbling with the motion.  

Mac tried not to figit as the guard, who’s name tag read ‘Watson’, took down his details and began to look for Riley’s file. Running a hand through his hair and checking the time, Watson picked up on Mac angst.

“Girlfriend?” Watson mumbled as he scribbled something into a form.

“ _No_ , no… ah no she’s not,” he jumped into reply, Mac’s brain seemed to seize up at the question, tripping over itself as he explained.

“Sister? Cousin?” Watson questioned, as he crossed something of his list and opened a drawer in his desk noisily, the contents clattered around the tinned space.

“What? No, and no. We’re not related,” Mac rushed to answer once more, roughly dragging his hand across his face in frustration as his nerves jumping beneath his skin.

“She’s hot headed. Real feisty for such a little thing. Threatened to tie a guy’s legs together using his scrotum,”

“Yeah well if he called her a ‘ _little_ thing’, I’d happily watch her follow through with that promise,” Mac casually replied, not caring about the consequences of his words. He needed to get Riley out of here. The thought of her sitting in that cell; made him nauseous. “Look can I just go get her? I’ll fill in the forms later,”

“Don’t work like that m’afraid,” he replied, hiding a chuckle beneath his stern voice, “sure she ain’t your girlfriend?”

Mac threw his hands up in frustration, taking a step back from the man’s desk. Turning to face the greyish complexion of the walls, Mac took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.

“Listen, she hasn’t done anything wrong. Bail’s been posted. Just let me take her home. She’s been in there all night, she’s exhausted and probably dehydrated, mainly because she doesn’t drink nearly enough water-”

“-Hey, I drink plenty of water,” a soft voice said from behind him. Mac swiveled on the spot, his while body sagged in relief seeing Riley a few steps from him. Her dark hair hung limp, contrasting widely with her pale complexion. The dark eyeliner that usually surrounded her eyes was gone, making her eyes appear more gold than dark brown.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Mac replied, following his legs as the brought him to stand a few steps towards him.

Riley shuffled awkwardly in the spot for a moment, and face twisting into a range of different emotions as she tried to choose the right words, “thanks for _this,_ ” she hoarsely whispered, afraid any of the guards that she had threatened earlier might see her softer side.

Mac smiled at the endearing gesture, and couldn’t help but wrap his arm around her slender shoulders and hug her close.

“Hate to break up the rom-com moment but Ms. Davis, I need you to sign a few things,” Watson called over, his voice booming across the small space. Mac could feel his face begin to heat up, watching Riley hide her face beneath her hair and march towards the desk.

Finally, they could leave, and Mac sent the police man a wave while he replied with a wink, which only infused Mac’s blush once more.

“No luck on springing Elwood?” Riley asked casually, trying to keep her voice light but Mac could hear the strong tone of worry hiding beneath it.

Hopping into the car, Mac settled for a moment before giving her his entire attention, “I’m sorry Riles, we couldn’t-” Mac began to explain, but Riley was quick to interrupt.

“-No, no I get it. His past and… my past probably made this hard and,” she gulped, catching her breath before continuing, “I’m sure Matty pulled as many strings as she could.” Riley’s head dropped, exhaustion seeping into her bones and caused the worry to lay heavily on her shoulders.

 Mac took a deep breath, staring over at Riley. The vanilla air fresher Bozer installed was suddenly overwhelming, and the heat of the car was wafting into his sinus, making him feel like he was stuffed with cotton wool.

“Hungry?” Mac asked lightly, turning his key in the engine and watching Riley’s face light up as the question. “When are we ever early for work anyway?” Mac said jokingly.

“Whatever Golden Boy, if we have Matty the hun on our case, I’m throwing you into the line of fire,”

Mac just laughed.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The early hour of the morning resulted in a muted dinner. The only customers were those rushing to work and collecting coffee, and an elderly man sitting by the counter enjoying a full fry and the local paper.

Mac and Riley sat by the window in a booth with maroon leather seats, sugar bowl in the shape an open flower and an old doily covering the tin milk jug.

Starved, Riley had dug into her food with gusto, barely noticing how Mac didn’t bother to hold back his laughter as he sipped on his lukewarm coffee.

Satisfied with the feed, Riley dropped her knife and fork beside her plate and flopped against the back of the booth with a wide grin on her face.

“Good?” Mac asked with a smile, delighted she was feeling better compared to her mood earlier.

“Better,” Riley replied, grinning as Mac released the laugh he was holding in.

“I’m glad,”

They sat for a few moments, enjoying the only sounds coming from the whispering radio and the ding of the bell in the kitchen, indicating food to be served.

“How do you find working with Desi?” Riley asked him, curious on his take. The thought clearly circling her mind.

“She’s… different to Jack anyway,” Mac admitted, scratching the back of his neck.

“Well they both love solving problems with violence,” Riley countered, her voice feeling unsure.

“I just,” Mac began, trying to find the right words to what he’s feeling, “it’s hard to trust her, when I know she doesn’t want to be here,” Mac admitted, not enjoying her brash attitude and solemn look on their team. Riley nodded in agreement, not knowing her problem with Desi until Mac had voiced it.

“I mean, I had a very unusual job interview,” Riley informed him, showing him that familiar glint in her eyes.

Mac simply smiled and shook his head, “nah Riles, you’re completely different.”

Riley shrugged at him, sending him a questioning look, “surely I would’ve been harder to trust?” she asked him, reminding him of her orange jumpsuit.

Mac sighed, and looked her in the eye, wondering if she was still self-conscious about her criminal past, “I’ve never once questioned your loyalty.”

Riley blinked, as if the reality of the past twenty-four hours hit her in the face. Eyes watering, she tore her eyes away. “Sorry, I-” she began, but was interrupted by a waitress clearing their table.

Taking a deep breath, she started again. “This doesn’t feel real,” Riley admitted, her eyes trained on the parking lot outside the window.

Mac remained quiet, simply leaning forward as in indication that he was listening, but afraid to interrupt her in case she’d stop talking. Riley was never known for expressing her emotions. She’s always been so _steady._ Whereas he feels as if he’s jumping from the height of adrenaline to its crashing lows.

“An hour ago, I felt like I was right back to three years ago. Locked away for something dumb. You see prison in movies, on television shows, where everyone is scary and angry but… I just felt so claustrophobic,” her voice was soft, as if her filter was broken and her thoughts were spewing out as soon as the travelled through her mind. “And now I’m here with you. Just feels like a dream.”

Mac felt her heart squeeze, not knowing how to help her, "do you think it changed you?" Mac questioned, hoping he wasn't upsetting her by asking.

"Toughened me up," Riley replied with a sadistic smile.

"I'd say you were a pretty tough kid before that,"

Riley shrugged a smile, her mood lifting from Mac's words, "and you were the nerdy kid," Riley told him, making reference to the rare childhood stories he told. "Do you think we would've been friends?"

Mac grinned and shook his head, "nah, you would've been too cool for me. With your rebel attitude, you probably ran the place,"

Riley chuckled, "no way, I've seen your school photos, you had the face of an angel. Teenage girl's would've made you popular," she said without thinking, enjoying the atmosphere surrounding them.

Mac stopped, not able to stop the cocky grin from growing on his face, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow, "face of an angel, huh?"

Riley scoffed, and rolled her eyes, "emphasis on had," she grumbled but allowed the smile on her face to remain. Mac didn't miss the blush that creeped into her cheeks.

Interrupting their moment, a banged-up car pulled awkwardly into a parking space. The wheels turned to the right, while the left side of the car was slightly into the next open parking spot. A young woman hopped out of the car in a flurry of movements, pushing the door closed but it didn’t slam shut, causing it to creep open once more. Rushing to the other side of the car, she opened the backseat door and reached in. Both Riley and Mac’s view was obscured from a moment, before she pulled a crying baby from the car.

The woman looked about Riley’s age, as she bounced her crying baby to a rhythm Mac couldn’t decipher.

“Do you ever want one of those?” Riley asked him, her eyes locked on the young woman and her child.

Mac hummed for a moment, staring at a future he was never sure he wanted. His family life had been rocky at best, and his father figure at been absent, so he had never seen himself as someone’s _dad._

“I’m not sure if that’s… for me,” Mac admitted as they both stared at the open mouthed child and the tired mother.

“Me neither,”

Both of them, watched the muted scene, and saw how the baby eventually calm. His little face transformed from pinched to soothed within seconds, as he rubbed his face against his mother’s shoulder and shuffled closer to her neck.

The woman’s eye’s closed as she swayed to a slow beat, enjoyed the calmness of her child, and kissing him gently on his soft head.

“Mightn’t be so bad,” Riley admitted softly, as if she had forgotten where she was as she stared at the loving embrace.

And Mac… he couldn’t take his eyes of Riley.

“You don’t have to go back there,” he promised her, steel cemented his words as he made reference to the jail cell. Brown eyes whipped towards his, holding his stare. As if to ensure his honesty. “You’ll never be back there. As long, as I’m around, you’ll never spend another second in there,” Mac promised, his serious tone caused Riley’s breathing to pick up speed.

“And what happens when you’re not?”

“Not what?”

“Around,” Riley’s vulnerable tone causing her words to catch at the back of her throat. Mac knew she was referencing the time he spent in Africa, loosing contact with his friends and needing time alone. And Mac had never realized, how much that had affected Riley.

Mac held out his hand, palm up and resting against the cool surface of the diner table. Riley’s lip quivered for a moment, as she caught it with her teeth and held it. She stared down at her own hands, her black nail varnish chipped along the edges, while a thin pink scar ran over the knuckle of her index finger.

Taking a deep breath, she dropped her small hand in his open palm, and squeezed.

Mac felt his heart burst as he held her hand within his, “I’m not going anywhere.” 

He didn't let her hand go until they were standing outside the Phoenix. 


End file.
